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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. deal — to handle
  4. band — a music group
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. pitch — completely
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. band — a ring
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. season — of the year
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com